Microsoft announces cross-platform play between Xbox One and PC, open invite to ‘other consoles’

Cross-platform play between consoles and PC has been a dream for gamers since online gameplay became more mainstream. Microsoft is finally opening up the Xbox One to cross-platform play, starting with Rocket League.

As announced earlier today, Rocket League will be the first game to feature cross-platform play between the Xbox One and PC via Windows 10.

Fortunately, the push towards cross-platform play doesn’t begin and end with the Xbox One and PC. It appears as though Microsoft is inviting every console to get in on the action, at least according to the Director of [email protected] Chris Charla in an Xbox News Post.

Check out what he said below (emphasis made by author):

Cross-Network Play

First, in addition to natively supporting cross-platform play between Xbox One and Windows 10 games that use Xbox Live, we’re enabling developers to support cross-network play as well. This means players on Xbox One and Windows 10 using Xbox Live will be able to play with players on different online multiplayer networks – including other console and PC networks.

Of course, it’s up to game developers to support this feature, and Xbox Live players will always have the option of choosing to play only with other Xbox Live players. We’re thrilled to confirm that Psyonix’s Rocket League will be one of the first games to take advantage of this new capability by enabling cross-network play between Xbox One and PC players, with an open invitation for other networks to participate as well.

With an ‘open invitation’ to other networks, that means the PlayStation 4 and Wii U (or next Nintendo console) could get in on the cross-platform play.

Unfortunately, the cross-platform play is via Windows 10, which means Sony would have to adopt Windows 10 to get in on the action… Which seems unlikely. Unless there is some other way.